License-plate unit



A. H. HUMPHREY LICENSE PLATE UNIT Dec. 14 1926. 1 610,447

Filed Dec. 15 1925 SS WITNE ES INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 14, 1926PATENT oTFrc-E.

ALFRED ILORATIO HUMPHREY, OF SALEM, NEW YORK.

LICENSE-PLATE UNIT.

Application filed Decemb er le, 1925.

My invention relates to license plates, particularly to a hinged licenseplate mounted on a casing adapted, in practice, to be illuminated forincreasing the visi- 5 bility of the perforated characters, lettersand'numbers of the license plate.

The general object of my invention is to provide a hinged license platecharacterized by an inseparable connection between the hinge elementsand of such a character as to require the plate to be mutilated ordestroyed in order to be removed. The stated object of the presentapplication is in common with the stated object in an application filedby me December 8, 1925: Serial Number 74,105.

The present invention has for its special object to provide a novelhinge connection between the license plate and the casing or equivalentsupport whereas the co-pending application referred to covers adifferent species of a hinge connecting means and relates broadly to thegeneric features common to the two applications in question.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, it being understood that the drawings are merelyillustrative of practical examples of the invention.

Figure 1 is a horizontal section taken through a license plate unitembodying my present invention;

Figure 2 is a face view of said license plate unit;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail in cross section, the section being giventobetter show the hinge connection; 7

Figure 4 is a reverse view inverted of that portion of the hingeconnection rigid with the face plate, an integral portion of said faceplate being included;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of that member of the hinge which is maderigid with the casing;

Figure 6 is a perspectiveview of the tubular hinge pin;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 3 but illustrating another form ofthe hinge connection.

My improved license plate unit in the illustrated form includes a casing10 having in the rear thereof a lamp 11 or other source of light. Thenumeral 12 indicates a license plate provided at the front of the casing10 and having perforated letters 13 Serial No. 75,598.

illuminated from the back by the source of light 11.

The casing 10 is secured to any available part A of an automobilewherethe license plate is to be mounted.

The material of'the plate '12 is bent to form an exterior tubular hingeelement 14 having a side opening 15. Said tubular hinge element 14receives within the same a separate tubular pin 16 having-diametricallyopposite openings 17,18 of which one is wider than the other as shownclearly in Figure 6.

A hinge element 19 is welded or other wise permanently fastened to thematerial of the casing 10 and projecting from said element 19 is a pairof compressible hooklike members 20 which are adapted to "be passedsuccessively through the smaller opening 18 and to lie adjacent to thelarger opening 17. Said members 20 are resilient and are forced throughthe opening 18 to lie within the pin 16. The external hinge element 14on the license. plate 12 is turnable about the pin 16 having the member20 therein. he turning of element 14 about the pin 16 is permitted byreason of the opening 15 which accommodates the members 20 at the basethereof adjacent to the welded element 19.

The member 14 which is formed on the license plate 12 is welded at itsterminal edge 21 to the body of the face plate 12 and since the pin 16is held by the members 20 which are rigid with the welded element 19,the hinge parts are maintained inseparable except by destruction ormultilization of the parts. With the destruction of the hinge element 14of license plate 12 by cutting the same away or removing with the aid ofa torch, the opening 17 will be accessible for the entrance of apinchers whereby the members 20 may be compressed so that they may beremoved through the opening 18. Thus,

an authorized person by destroying the license plate at the hinge maysubstitute a new license plate using the same elements 16, 19 and 20.

In Figure 7 the casing 110 has a license plate 112 formed with a hingemember 114 welded at 121 as in the firstdescribed form.

A tubular pin 116 having a side opening 118 corresponding with theopening 18 is inserted in the member 14. Within the tubular pin 116 isplaced a spring'22 in the form of a split band and a member 119 Weldedto the casing is formed with a tapered end 219. Said tapered end 219 maybe inserted through the opening in the member 114 through the opening118 and then forced laterally into the spring 22 at the split portionthereof. Said Welded element 119 adjacent to the tapered end 219 hasdepressions 319 to receive the edges of the resilient split band 22.Thus, the form shown in Figure 7, like the first-described form,requires the destruction of the face plate in order to remove the sameor in order to separate the hinge parts.

I Would state furthermore that While the illustrated examples constitutepractical e1n bodiments of my invention, I do not limit myself strictlyto tne exact details herein illustrated since manifestly the same can beconsiderably varied Without departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A license plate unit including a license plate, supporting means forthe license plate. a hinge element formed from the material of saidlicense plate at an edge thereof, a tubular hinge pin in said hingeelement on the license plate, an element constituting an inseparablepart of said supporting means, and having a portion thereof adapted tobe entered laterally through the hinge element of the license plate andthrough said tubular hinge pin and held against Withdrawal from theinterior of the hinge pin.

2. A license plate unit including a casing, a license plate on saidcasing, a tubular hinge element on the license plate, a pin fitting insaid tubular element and having a lateral opening, and means on saidcasing passing through said opening into the pin and held againstWithdrawal to maintain the license plate and its supporting means inhinged relation.

3. A license plate unit including a casing, a license plate on saidcasing, a tubular hinge element on the license plate, a tubular pinfitting in said tubular element and having a lateral opening, and meanson the casing and extending through said tubular hinge element of thelicense plate to the interior thereof and held against withdrawal, saidtubular element of the license plate enclosing and making inaccessiblesaid means on the casing to require the destruction of said tubularelement of the license plate to afford access to said means on the casinAL FRED HORATIO HUh IPHREY.

